Coming off of a frustrating 2-1 loss in Nashville on Thursday, the Columbus Blue Jackets spoiled the home opener for expansion cousins Minnesota with a wild (pun intended, but regretted) 7-4 victory. Here were the keys to the game:
Magnificent Marchy
Kirill Marchenko was buzzing in the opener, recording eight shots on goal against the Predators. He only had half that tonight, but three of them found the back of the net. It was awesome to see his effort rewarded, and each of his tallies was timely: seven seconds into the second period, in the final two minutes of that period to retake the lead, and then to provide an insurance goal in the third that proved to be the game-winner.
Score early and often
The Jackets couldn’t solve Juuse Saros on Thursday, but Filip Gustavsson was less of an issue tonight. Miles Wood opened the scoring with a goal two-and-a-half minutes into the game, winning a footrace on a would-be icing by ZAR and scoring off of a good rebound from the back wall. Zach Werenski scored just 1:11 into the third period to open up a two-goal lead. Adam Fantilli’s goal (a deflection of a Boone Jenner shot) came less than a minute after Minnesota narrowed the lead to 5-3.
Undisciplined
After five penalties on Thursday, the Jackets recorded 16 PIM tonight. This is simply way too many. What makes matters worse is that these weren’t effort penalties. That is, ones that you can forgive if guys are just being physical in order to stop a scoring chance. Three of the penalties were delay of game for puck over the glass. There was a fourth delay of game for an unsuccessful goalie interference challenge (more on that later). There was also a too many men (and close to a second) and one hand over puck in the offensive zone by Marchenko. Even one of the physical penalties, Erik Gudbranson holding Marcus Foligno, was a matter of getting beat and getting unnecessarily rough (though Foligno sold it a bit too).
Two of the penalties came as the Jackets were already on the kill. They didn’t allow a goal on those 5-on-3s, but they did allow four goals over eight Wild power plays. The Jackets were one for three, which is fine, but for those keeping track at home, they have allowed more power play goals against this season (5) than they have had power play attempts themselves (4).
Elvis
It feels weird to praise goaltending in a game in which the team surrendered four goals, but Merzlikins deserves his flowers tonight. He was a perfect 32 for 32 at even strength. He faced 20 shots against at all other strengths, which is simply way too much extra work for the goalie to do.
Matt Boldy’s power play goal was challenged by Dean Evason for alleged goaltender interference by Joel Eriksson-Ek. It was borderline, but it was also a similar enough play to the Mathieu Olivier goal that was overturned on replay on Thursday.
I expect Jet Greaves to get the start in the home opener, then back to the rotation on Thursday against Colorado.
200 for Jenner
The captain made a great play of the draw on the sixth draw, but it deflected off of Fantilli’s leg, so Jenner had to wait a bit longer for his milestone goal. Charlie Coyle (who played very well shorthanded) fed him later in the game for an empty net goal, which was the 200th of his NHL career. In the postgame interview, Jenner also acknowledged that it was his first as a father, since he and his wife Maggie welcomed a son, Tommy, this summer.
Highlights
Up Next
The Jackets welcome the Devils for the home opener at Nationwide Arena at 7:00 PM on Monday. See you there!